Split
In the trial against the singer Gil Ofarim, a complaint of bias appears against the presiding judge. The president explains what it is about.
Update from November 16 at 11:49 am: Did Gil Ofarim even wear a Star of David necklace? On the fifth day of the trial, forensic expert Dirk Labudde was asked if this could be documented in any way, reports focus. The Star of David cannot be seen on the surveillance video.
Labudde explains: When small objects are far from the camera, they are harder to see because the pixels become smaller. Therefore, Gil Ofarim’s Star of David “is not shown in the recording as in the comparison image.”
At one point in the video you can see a flash. A reflection, says Labudde. But isn’t the flash too much? asks the defense. The expert answers: “The surface may be larger than the reflected object, which would not be unusual.”
Update from November 16 at 6:32 am: The trial of musician Gil Ofarim continues on Thursday. The explanations of the expert who evaluated the surveillance camera recordings continue. It is also about the behavior of those involved in the hotel lobby. Additional witnesses will also be heard. It remains to be seen whether they will reach the regional court in Leipzig. Ultimately, GDL’s warning strike is likely to largely paralyze rail traffic.
The day before, digital forensics expert Dirk Labudde had already contradicted the musician’s version. A chain with a Star of David was not visible from the time you entered the lobby until you left the hotel. Ofarim himself has so far remained silent before the court.
Expert contradicts Ofarim: the chain with the Star of David was not visible
Update from November 15 at 9:23 p.m.: In the trial against Jewish musician Gil Ofarim for defamation and false suspicion, an expert contradicted an important description of the artist. No chain with the Star of David could be seen from the entrance to the lobby to the exit of a Leipzig hotel, forensic expert Dirk Labudde told the Leipzig regional court on Wednesday.
According to the expert, the chain with the Star of David was only visible when Ofarim recorded the Instagram video in front of the hotel. To do this, the digital forensic expert evaluated the surveillance camera recordings in an exhaustive process. The expert’s statements in the trial will continue on Thursday.
Now the judge in the Ofarim case is accused of bias
Update from November 15 at 1:32 p.m.: Now Judge Stadler trembles at the Ofarim trial. A lawyer’s letter is considered a request for bias against the president. He himself explains that he has been politically active since 2022. focus reported. A decision will be made next week on how to address this outside of the general assembly.
Stadler gave a lecture on extremism for the Judges’ Association. The title: “Without enemies of the Constitution in public office: how the constitutional State and democracy can arm themselves against extremists.”
Ofarim trial: fake surveillance video? Now an expert speaks
Update from November 15 at 1:12 p.m.: Is the video of Ofarim’s trial real? Yes, says an expert according to the dpa news agency. The recordings were not fake; he personally put them away after the incident by order of the police. “Manipulation is unthinkable.”
The 51-year-old also contradicts the defense claim that witnesses were shown surveillance video at the hotel before the police investigation. The technician was unable to explain how and when this should have happened.
Ofarim trial: Surveillance video of hotel lobby visible to public for the first time
Update from November 15 at 12:26 pm: More witness statements are expected on Wednesday in the trial against musician Gil Ofarim at the Leipzig Regional Court. The day before, a witness had not confirmed the version that Ofarim had been discriminated against by the manager of a hotel because of his Star of David. Again daily mirror As reported, a report by digital forensic expert Dirk Labudde, who assessed the incident using surveillance cameras from the hotel lobby, will also be presented on Wednesday. But there are no sound recordings.
Hotel lobby surveillance video at Ofarim trial visible to public for first time
Update from November 15 at 6:55 am: Shortly before the end of the third day of the trial against Gil Ofarim, the singer’s defense requested that more evidence be presented. The data would be on a USB memory and, according to the judge, would be evaluated in one of the next days, he reported. focus. Anyway, things will be exciting on the fourth day of the test. Surveillance video from the hotel will be shown in court and will be available to the public for the first time. Additionally, more witnesses should be interviewed.
Update from November 14 at 3:10 p.m.: According to the witness, Gil Ofarim’s account that a hotel manager discriminated against him because of his Star of David did not match his personal perception. The 58-year-old man was very close to the singer during check-in. focus reported from the courtroom.
For this reason, a long queue formed at the hotel reception. The witness admits that he did not hear what the hotel manager and Ofarim discussed when he checked into the hotel. But at the counter the singer “made phone calls and gesticulated.” Therefore, he felt that Ofarim was upset. “He was angry and then became confrontational,” says the witness. He was under the impression that the musician was upset “because he was not taken out of the queue and given additional treatment.” However, according to the witness, that is only his subjective perception. focus he emphasized.
Another witness incriminates Ofarim on the third day of the trial, without being aware of any discrimination
Update from November 14 at 12 pm: Another witness is scheduled to speak on the third day of the trial against singer Gil Ofarim. as Focus.de According to other reports, he is a regular guest of the hotel. The witness received his room card separately from the hotel employee and said that he could not contribute anything further to the clarification.
According to this, the man probably noticed the discontent in the queue “through Mr. Ofarim”, but was not aware of it. When the prosecutor asked if the witness had realized that the phrase “pack your star” had been used, relevant to the trial, he responded in the negative.
Original message from November 14, 2023: Leipzig – Did a hotel manager discriminate against Gil Ofarim because of his Star of David? Or is the Jewish musician lying? This is what should clarify the trial against Ofarim, 41, which began on Tuesday, November 7 at the Leipzig regional court. Now a surprise appears to have occurred on the third day of the trial. As focus reported that a new witness has contacted the prosecution. Therefore, this places a strain on the singer.
Ofarim trial: Surprise on the third day of the trial – a new witness comes forward and incriminates the singer
As reported by the portal, the new witness contacted the prosecutor’s office by phone. The trigger was the information about the trial. Therefore, the Brandenburg witness recalled that during the incident in question he was right behind Gil Ofarim, in the hotel lobby. As focus Furthermore, the witness claims to have not received “any insult” from the hotel employee. According to prosecutor Ricken, it is currently not possible to say whether the witness’s account is accurate.
The 41-year-old man, born in Munich, is in the dock for, among other charges, defamation and false suspicion. In early October 2021, the musician made serious accusations of anti-Semitism against the manager of a Leipzig hotel in an Instagram video. Ofarim was told to remove the Star of David and only then would he be allowed to register, the singer charged. However, after extensive investigations by the prosecution, charges were brought against Ofarim. The case against the hotel manager was dismissed.